127 film

Does anyone know if it's possible to roll 127 film onto 120 take-up

spools, while the film is in the camera? I would like to avoid having

to re-spool the film by hand, before loading into the camera, if at

all possible. I have the loan of a Blinde for the summer, and would

like to use it without having to buy pre-rolled 127 film.

Your question sounds a bit confusing but what I think you mean is 'can you put 120 film on a 127 roller' to which the answer is 'no'.

 

120 is roughly two centimetres wider than 127 so you'd have to slit the film and backing paper down to fit.

 

If you're getting confused between 127 and 620, then the answer is still no-ish BUT it's pretty easy to put 120 film onto 620 reels in a darkroom or changing bag.

As suggested previously, it sounds like you want to use a 127 camera at less than $5/roll for Efke R100, Macochrome, or Maco C-41, or even more for Portra 160 NC from B&H.

 

It's possible to slit 120 to 127 width and wind up with the 6x4.5 framing track in the correct position for 4x4 framing, but other formats won't have the proper framing tracks and you'll be reduced to guessing the correct number of knob turns. Worse, 120 film is too long (about 80 cm, where 127 is about 60 cm) and won't all fit on the 127 spool, so you have to shorten both film and paper in the dark.

 

You *can* buy unperforated 44 mm film in one or two emulsions, still, bulk rolls of a hundred feet or so, but cutting to length and reloading the 127 backing paper in the dark is a challenge, and you'd still need 127 spools and backing -- and then have to get your backing paper and spools back from the processor, since AFAIK all the 44mm bulk options are C-41.

 

However, if it's a temporary deal, it's probably preferable to bite the bullet and pay the price for the film from J&C Photo or B&H (Film for Classics might have 127, too, likely the same choices as J&C). Retro Photo would be the choice in the UK. There is no other film that's the same size as 127 that can be directly respooled, as is the case when you're feeding a 620 camera...

Nancy, if you have in mind to use a Photax Blinde camera that takes 620 film, you may not be able to avoid respooling film. But don't give up until you have the camera in hand.

 

When you receive the camera, it should have a 620 spool in it. Put it in the take-up side, take a scrap/sacrificial spool of 120 film, and try to load the camera. If it will feed from the 120 spool, you're more or less in business. But and however, you'll have to use a changing bag or go into a darkroom (photographic one that's truly dark) to remove the exposed film from the 620 spool and move it to the 120 to go to the processor. I go through this "respool exposed film" process with my Adapt-A-Roll 620 roll holders.

 

If the camera won't feed from a 120 spool, then you'll have to find a second 620 spool to respool the 120 film on before loading it in the camera. Less fun, possible. As before, you'll have to recover the 620 take-up spool before sending the exposed film to the lab. I bet you never expected to need a changing bag.

 

Good luck, have fun,

Don,

 

Minor point. 127 fim uses 46mm film not 44mm.

 

Once I finish off my current stash of 127 B&W Efke film I plan to slit 120 HP5 and reload my 127 spools & papers. It's not as hard as it seems. It should be possible to slice out a 46mm strip and a 9.3mm strip for Minox from a single roll of 120.

Actually, I was given the wrong information on the camera, which in fact takes 620 film. So, since I already bought some 620 film from J&C camera, I'm all set. Though, this information is useful for when I ever decide to use an old Kodak that takes 127 film.

 

Thanks!

 

Nancy

you CAN roll 120 film onto a 620 spool in the camera, if the camera will allow you to put the 120 spool in. a few will, many will not.

Yes, Richard, my Hawkeye allowed me to use 120 film on 620 spools, but it did protest a wee bit. You can see the results of this on the Brownie Cameras forum.

I've gotten decent results slitting 127 from 120; I use a long threaded rod with nuts & washers to position a hobby knife blade in an otherwise uncooperative Spartus Full-vue. The 61mm 120 film slices into 46mm for 127 and 16mm (for 110 in my case). One or both will be a tiny bit narrow which compensates for inexactness. The hardest part is cutting the slit film to length and taping it to the backing paper.

Actually, I'm working on building a slitter myself out of an old crappy Brownie Hawkeye. I can imaging the toughest part would be getting the X-acto or razor blade lined up just right, then the whole respooling. I can see myself doing this in the darkroom as a changing bag might be a little difficult. I also picked up some 120 canisters from JandC (a quarter a pop makes it a no brainer) so I can do a bunch at a time and seal them away.

 

Hopefully this will solve my super slide dilemna.